Observations of Aromatic Oxidation Products in Southeast Asia

This study investigates the formation and atmospheric behavior of acyl peroxynitrates (PANs), particularly benzoyl peroxynitrate (PBzN) and the newly identified aromatic 8-carbon PAN (C₈-PAN). PANs are formed through the oxidation of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the presence of nitrogen oxides (NOx). PBzN, a key compound in this research, is primarily produced through the oxidation of benzaldehyde, which can originate from direct emission or from oxidation of species such as toluene and styrene. The study predicts PBzN concentrations based on precursor emissions, photochemical processes, and highlights the significant role of aromatic hydrocarbons in the formation of secondary pollutants like PANs and VOCs. The study also presents the first atmospheric detection of C₈-PAN, attributed to the oxidation of ethylbenzene and xylene isomers, indicating the importance of aromatic The prediction of PBzN applying campaign measurements while holding the benzyl radical and PBzN in steady state was performed. The R² values indicate stronger correlations in Taiwan compared to Thailand and the Philippines for both measured and modeled PBzN data, with Taiwan showing the highest values (0.72), while Thailand had the weakest correlations (0.06) for the total campaign data.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Department dc:contributor.department

Earth and Atmospheric Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Georgia Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

2025

Author dc:creator

• Arterburn, Linda Anne

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Huey, L. Gregory

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Kaiser, Jennifer
• Wang, Yuhang

• Atmosphere
• Atmospheric Chemistry
• Earth Science
• Aircraft Measurements
• PANs
• PBzN
• Aromatic Compounds
• Southeast Asia

Language dc:language.iso

en_US

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/1853/78702

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:repository.gatech.edu:1853/78702